Show Notes
Neuroscientist, philosopher, and Making Sense podcast host Sam Harris joins Preet Bharara to examine why good-faith debate has become so difficult—and what that breakdown has done to American politics.
They discuss social media’s fragmentation of the information landscape and declining trust in the press and public institutions. They also consider Donald Trump’s resilience in the face of scandal, the different standards applied to the political left and right, the Democratic Party’s relationship with its activist wing, and whether Trumpism can survive Trump.
Then, Preet and Sam turn to the rule of law: the growing impulse to prosecute political opponents, the limits of relying on norms, the difference between accountability and retribution, and what it would take to restore a measure of normalcy to American political life.
In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Sam draw on philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s essay, On Bullshit, to distinguish the liar from the bullshitter—and consider why Trump’s shamelessness can be mistaken for authenticity.
Join the Insider community for access to bonus content from Stay Tuned and weekly episodes of the Insider podcast hosted by Preet and Joyce Vance. Visit https://staytuned.substack.com/ to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work.
Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website: www.cafe.com
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: https://cafe.visitlink.me/MpB3pe
Shop Stay Tuned merchandise and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.
Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on Bluesky or X with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at [email protected], or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.
Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Photo credit: Samuel Corum/Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from Stay Tuned with Preet
This week on Stay Tuned, we’re revisiting an episode from April of this year. Author Michael Pollan joins Preet to discuss his new book, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness, the “problem” of studying consciousness, psychedelics in therapy, and whether plants are sentient. They also break down whether artificial intelligence can be conscious and why we shouldn’t want it to be.
On this week’s episode of the Insider podcast, Deputy Director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project Lee Gelernt joins Joyce Vance, while Preet is out.
This week on the Stay Tuned with Preet podcast, organizational psychologist, Wharton professor, and New York Times best-selling author Adam Grant joins Preet to discuss his new book, Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World.
On this week’s episode of the Insider podcast, former Westchester County District Attorney and experienced sex crimes prosecutor Mimi Rocah joins Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance for a conversation about the Cornell rape investigation.
This week on the Stay Tuned with Preet podcast, financial journalist and New York Times This week on the Stay Tuned with Preet podcast, financial journalist and New York Times best-selling author Michael Lewis joins Preet to discuss the unraveling of the Department of Government Efficiency, chronicled in Lewis’s new book, Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State.